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[verysneaky]

I'm the kind of student who always picked up a sprinkling of minuses because of scatterbrained behavior like turning things in late, forgetting to study for a quiz, etc. In my master's, I had a 3.87 for this reason. In admissions, etc., I've always compensated for a relatively low GPA with strong letters, test scores, etc. Now that I'm a grad student, the minuses are really only a problem in undergraduate-level intro courses outside my field: since the grade distribution tends to be a little less generous in these classes, and since performance tends to based heavily on day-to-day consistency and organization, I'm at risk of some more minuses. This semester, I'm at the line of a B+/A- in an undergraduate intro language course (my fourth reading language). I knew going in that it would be a struggle for me to turn everything in, and sure enough...

Until recently I was thrilled that grades don't matter any more: I feel confident about my actual research, etc., and my writing samples and letters of recommendation have always been strong. Then it occurred to me that GPAs might matter for things like external funding, and at my institution, external funding can be a real plus. So my question is, should I do everything I can to keep my record pristine for the sake of outside fellowships, etc.? Are there any other reasons I should sweat my grades at this point? Or can I really relax about my foibles and just focus on my research (oh, please)?

[racerboy]

Or can I really relax about my foibles and just focus on my research (oh, please)?

Yes.

[crowie]

Don't sweat it.   

[polly_mer]

Don't sweat the difference between a 3.8 and a 4.0.

A 3.5 or lower will likely disqualify you for certain things, but good research, trying new things, and a 3.8 will usually serve you better in the long run than a 4.0.

[verysneaky]

Oh wow, this is very good news. Thanks for the responses.

[larryc]

I have been on too many hiring committees in recent years and I can't recall any of us ever commenting on a candidate's grades, unless they were getting down to around 3.0. We are so much more interested in what you can teach for us, what your letters of recommendation say, your publications and research plans, and your evaluations.

[polly_mer]

I have been on too many hiring committees in recent years and I can't recall any of us ever commenting on a candidate's grades, unless they were getting down to around 3.0. We are so much more interested in what you can teach for us, what your letters of recommendation say, your publications and research plans, and your evaluations.

As a caveat, I do know some government agencies that have guidelines about what GPA is acceptable in a new hire.  If you are in a field where that might be a concern, you do wish to be closer to 3.75 or be stand-out brilliant so that someone will go to bat for you through the bureaucracies. 

In addition, some grant agencies and foundations also want to see close to a 3.7 or they won't consider you for the best fellowships.  Most others are more interested in your ideas, references, and prior research work to fund a project.  I can't think of anyone who cares about a 4.0 over ideas, so don't freak, but you need to then put the time and energy that would go to maintaining the GPA into areas like publications and presentations (whatever is appropriate in your field) that demonstrate the excellent junior scholar you are.

[menotti]

I'm the kind of student who always picked up a sprinkling of minuses because of scatterbrained behavior like turning things in late, forgetting to study for a quiz, etc.

GPA per se won't be a problem at all.  But not turning things in, forgetting deadlines, and so forth is going to hurt you with your advisor (and thus recommendations) and things like fellowship applications.

[verysneaky]

Thanks for the elaboration and excellent (as always) counsel, Polly_mer. Menotti, you're right that the problem is nothing to be complacent about.

[sugaree]

Depending upon your program, grades from required courses (like foreign languages) may not even count in your overall program GPA - I know they didn't in mine way back when. I think I ended up with some A-s along the way anyway, but the B/B+s I got in French language class didn't factor in.

But I concur that the small problems you mentioned that stem from an overall disorganization will not bode well for future academic pursuits (in spite of the sometimes-deserved general reputation of the "scatter-brained professor").

[seniorscholar]

Hiring faculty, we don't even see the transcripts: they have to be submitted to the provost for proof of degree by the candidate to whom we're about to extend an offer, but I'm sure we've never looked at any and don't even have them in the department's personnel file. G.P.A. for PhD's? What's that?

[helpful]

At our university, if you want to be eligible for a fellowship, you will need a 4.0 GPA. Anything below it won't be submitted.

[msparticularity]

I think the first thing you need to know is whether your program is like Sugaree's (and mine), where courses that are not a part of your program of study do not get calculated into your official GPA. In particular, since you are taking the language courses at the undergrad level, I would think they might not be.

[norvell]

My grad school doesn't even calculate GPAs for PhD students. I suppose you could calculate it on your own (we did get letter grades). I have no idea what my grad GPA was...

[terpsichore]

Don't sweat the grades. But if scatterbrainedness (?) is causing you to miss deadlines, you should address that - for the sake of your career, not for your GPA.  You'll encounter many deadlines throughout your career that are not flexible.

Work on your time management skills, and if that doesn't help, consider getting checked for ADD.